YOUR VIEWS: Letters to the editor

Sunday

Feb 11, 2018 at 2:00 AM

Still awaiting call from Tenney

With the news in December about Judge Roy Moore trolling young women, I called Rep. Claudia Tenney to ask if she was supporting him in the special election for Senate from Alabama. The woman who answered said she did not know as Tenney had not issued a policy statement, but she would get back to me. She did not.

I have called several times since, talked to different people, been promised a return call, told again about the lack of a policy statement and advised that my question was referred to the Washington, D.C. office. A simple yes or no was all I wanted.

Now, several weeks later, Judge Moore lost, and I am still standing by my phone. Tenney clearly does not want to answer my question.

A representative who is not responsive to her constituents is not performing the job she was elected to do and does not deserve her constituents’ votes. Having read Rep. Tenney’s complaints about angry people coming to her office, I would tactfully suggest that responsive staff and answering her constituents’ questions would help. By the way, I still would like to know if Rep. Tenney supported the candidacy of Judge Moore.

Linda Allen, New Hartford

Trump's address more professional

President Trump’s State of the Union sounded more presidential compared to his previous speeches. His first address to Congress is the primary comparison that can be made. The fact that he preserved his calmness, rarely going off the teleprompter, and his positivity represent a shift in attitude.

Without any hesitation, Trump took all the credit for the economic boost, stating specific improvement of African American and Latino’s unemployment rate. The president frequently recognized people who had performed a heroic action,

arousing emotion and gratification. Trump excessive (16 people, almost) use of such initiative made him look appealing to the American people.

His foreign policy agenda was brief, yet compelling in regards to recent issues.

Overall, Trump appeared presidential, making him more likable figure. A strong country like the United States requires and deserves a calm, composed and articulated president.

Jalal Jamshidy, Utica

Herkimer Co. off to an expensive start

2018 is not starting out as a good year for the taxpayers of Herkimer County.

It began with a property tax increase of $208,606 and so far, in just over one month, we're getting stunned with unfavorable decisions that will add millions to the debit side of the ledger.

With undisguised hubris the Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency denied for years that they owned the Quackenbush site and were not obliged to pay the village water bill. The court ruled otherwise (not surprising when the

IDA holds is named on the deed ) and they now have a bill for $2,335,853! (Those penalties from 2005 do add up - only fools don't pay their bill for 13 years).

Again, with arrogant superiority, the county tried to settle the Worker's Compensation case with the village by a payment of $500,000. Not enough, says the findings. How about another $690,185?

And soon the court will be asked to judge the fairness of the county's offer of $584,000 for the P&C site for the bloated new jail as compared to the owner's assessment of $1,773,000. Informed speculation is that there will have to be a significant increase in the county bid before completion of the eminent domain procedure.

Open your wallets, people. It's going to be a long, expensive year.

Carl Streeter, Ilion

Trump approval rating is on the rise

It is true that as of last week, President Trump's approval rating was around 35 percent, according to most polls. At the same time, the ratings for the US Congress and the media have hit an all-time low. As to the media, there are some reasons for this. One example will illustrate the point about the media.

In most articles, it is stated that President Trump's rating is the lowest of any president in recent times for the early part of their administration. This makes it appear that Trump is not approved by the vast majority of the American people.

I have not seen a single article that pointed out, from a historical perspective, that President Ronald Reagan's approval rating had dropped from 65 percent to 35 percent in the period of 1981 to 1983. According to the book, "President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination" by Richard Reeves, Reagan's pollster met with the president to give him the bad news about the 35 percent since the next year was a re-election year. In 1984, Reagan won by a landslide over Walter Mondale, as he carried 49 states, and Mondale carried only his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia.

Therefore, it is possible that the low number for Trump may be short-lived. In fact, today, one poll, taken after the State of the Union Address, says Trump's rating has jumped by 7 percent to 42 percent. Why has not the media pointed out these historical facts when simply quoting the 35% figure? The media has lost the confidence of the American people!

Mitch Pezdek, Clinton

China pulling wool over Trump's eyes

What China failed to do militarily, they are about to accomplish by duping President Trump.

Thousands of American lives were lost in the Korean War, staving off a joint North Korea/China invasion of South Korea. President Trump is now pleased that he sees North Korea is playing nice with South Korea leading up to the Olympics. Of course, South Korea is paying North Korea for everything associated with their attendance at the Olympic Games. Which means the US is paying for North Korea’s attendance.

After all the lost lives and yearly expenditures, I expect that China’s long term goal of uniting the entire Korean Peninsula with China will eventually come to be. China wants total domination of Southeast Asia. Their forays into the South China Sea and the placing of missiles sites on built up coral islands are indicative of that goal, with no US interference. China has always taken the long view and President Trump is giddily going down that path with them thinking his harsh words have made a difference. While he has been bullying North Korea, China has continued to support North Korea. What they couldn’t get in 1950 they will soon get from Trump.

I doubt anyone believes that North Korea has been able to develop nuclear weapons as quickly as North Korea. It has been China providing the technology to North Korea to achieve their long term goals. Of course, Russia is also a player in this game and should be considered a rival to China since they would not want a united Korea and China.

Richard Schwarz, Whitesboro

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